My patients have been very frustrated with the Centers of Disease Control (CDC) over the last year or so for a variety of reasons, mainly pandemic related recommendations. Don’t wear a mask, wear a mask, wear 2 masks, not airborne, airborne, shut downs, open business up… It is no wonder that there are so many patients worried about the more recent recommendation to vaccinate. What don’t they know now and why don’t they know?
Ultimately the CDC is a group that relies on science and data (usually incomplete and biased during times of panic) to make the best possible (sometimes imperfect) decisions. Their decisions are mainly focused on the health of the US population, not necessarily the financial or political needs of individuals. As with anything human, variation and imperfections exist. When I discuss the decisions of the CDC with my patients, I recognize the limitations and find myself explaining what science is to my patients often.
Science is a process of disproving beliefs through repeated experimentation. Science can’t say that something is absolutely true, science can only show that something is not accurate. Over time hypothesis can repeatedly not be disproven despite that rigorous experimentation and scientists can say that something is likely true based with a certain certainty (usually a 95% confidence interval). I always joke that 95% sounds fantastic until you find out that you are the 1 of the group of 20.
Kids are excellent scientists. And just like scientific findings in the media, kids can be quite annoying from time to time. Have you ever watched a kid dropping their toy/foood/etc over their high chair over and over AND Over ANNNND OVER? That kid is testing a few hypotheses through this process. Firstly, this object will move due to some force. Secondly, the object will specifically fall. Thirdly, someone older than them will continue to retrieve the object for them forever. When that someone doesn’t retrieve the object, the child will revise their third hypothesis or add additional variables such as screaming. The revision of the hypothesis would be that someone older than them will continue to retrieve the object for them but may stop. While adding a fourth hypothesis that crying increases the odds that someone will retrieve that object for them. Great and annoying science.
The point of science is to make our beliefs less ignorant over time and the pursuit of reproducible knowledge.
So why can’t scientists absolutely know what to do with this virus? I mean, it’s been over a year. Why can’t they work faster? Firstly, there are more people that don’t understand science than those that can use science and the tools needed to do modern science. Secondly, viruses are good at mutating over time. There are so many variants of this single virus that it is difficult to know anything. Thirdly, because people are not wearing masks, getting vaccinated, or socially distancing, the virus has a bigger pool to swim in and more opportunities to acquire immunity to these measures. Right now, the mRNA vaccines are very, very good at preventing death and hospitalization. The 95% efficacy for preventing illness is great! However, 1 in 20 will get sick after getting the vaccine (but they don’t die). Overall, massive win for healthcare.
Politics is less science and more social manipulation (hopefully towards the wellbeing of society and not just reelection or party specific goals). So when a State lifts a mask mandate, they are creating a new experiment. Will the vaccines keep the infection rate low? We will see. For me, I hate wearing masks all day at work, but I have a duty to protect my patients. Until science is reasonably sure that we can’t spread the virus to our patients after we’ve been vaccinated, it’s hard to justify shedding a simple inconvenience.
I would love to hear your perspectives on this matter. Side note, I don’t particularly like any political party. I hope that politicians are actually looking out for us all, but this has been challenged a lot with a fair amount of evidence that I need to revise my hypothesis.
Revolutionary Healthcare PLLC 